Pic credit: Naomi Kamat
Trends come and go, but changing your kitchen is not something you can do with the same love ’em and leave ’em attitude with which you might approach the contents of your wardrobe. Kitchens are expensive – of course there’s a huge spectrum between more affordable and outrageously pricey – and they are an investment you’re going to want to be happy with for at least ten years, right? With this in mind, the kitchen becomes a more challenging room in the house when it comes to making seasonal or annual updates, and experimenting with or embracing trends. For example, a kitchen full to the brim of copper or rose gold may have been a showstopper five years ago, but now, it might be a little jaded. If you’re thinking of upgrading your kitchen this year, or you want rip it out entirely and start anew, or just make some small adjustments, here we sit down with one of our favourite interiors designers Cathy O’Donoghue of Flamingo Interior Design to chat all things kitchen.
What would you say are the biggest trends for kitchens in 2019?
I think monochrome cabinetry, in particular a bold move towards black finishes and moving away from greys that have been very popular the past few years. We’ll continue to see brass tone hardware as well as matte black which were big trends in 2018.
What are we seeing in terms of kitchen tiles?
Continuing the countertop material onto the wall as a backsplash has always been a popular choice but I think we’ll see more of it in contemporary style kitchens to keep the clean lines and minimalistic look. Another tile trend that really suit the more eclectic or retro style kitchen are 4×4 square tiles laid in a simple grid pattern with dark contrasting grout, probably my current favourite in kitchens and bathrooms.
Is exposed shelving becoming more popular?
Exposed shelving are a great idea to show off your own personality with smaller personal keepsakes, greenery, herbs and creates the opportunity to add some colour and texture especially if your kitchen design has a lot of concealed storage. And there’s so many options with shelving design – from simple floating shelves, using decorative brackets or rustic wood to add some character to the space. The options are endless.
What style of kitchen do you think will be really timeless – something you won’t be sick of or outdated in 5-10 years?
Shaker style doors have never gone out of style and I don’t think they will either. They’re a classic and suit a lot of homes. A shaker kitchen looks good in almost any colour too so repainting in a few years is always an option once it starts to feel outdated.
What kitchen tile style will stand the test of time – will subway tiles do the trick?
Subway tiles, like shaker style doors are another classic and definitely stand the test of time. They look great in every colour but stick with the neutrals if you want them to last through different trends.
Is there a particular colour kitchen that’s becoming more popular?
I think black is making a comeback in a big way. We tend to go with lighter colour palettes to tackle the lack of daylight we get in our homes but embracing the darkness of a space while also considering a well thought out lighting plan can often be a better way to approach the space.
Are we ever going to back to all wood kitchens? pine etc?
I’m not sure how long it will take for us to go back to all pine kitchens but I see walnut cabinetry coming back in a big way.
What is your dream kitchen?
I’m big into natural materials at the moment! My dream kitchen would have to be polished concrete worktops with birch ply cabinetry and brass tone hardware for a nice luxurious contrast.
Tell us about some of the projects you’ve worked on recently – kitchen wise – what kind of looks have you created?
I’ve worked on a few very different kitchen designs recently. One of the most recent was a contemporary kitchen for a family of 4 who needed to free up space on the countertops that often get cluttered so we introduced lots of clever concealed storage in the design – such as worktop space behind doors where the microwave and coffee machine are housed and streamlined wall units by using an integrated extractor. Adding a waterfall edge to the breakfast bar was my favourite element of the whole design, it’s a beautiful feature and the first thing your eye is drawn to when you walk into the room.